CU takes game experience into matchup with Cornhuskers

CU's Travon McMillian, right, gets away from CSU's Tywan Francis during the second half on Friday at Bronco Stadium at Mile High in Denver. (Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)

Going into last week, Colorado head football coach Mike MacIntyre said Colorado State had an advantage because it had a game under its belt.

Now, it's MacIntyre's team with that advantage.

After routing CSU 45-13 on Friday, Colorado will visit Nebraska on Saturday afternoon in the Cornhuskers' season opener. Nebraska was supposed to play Akron last weekend, but the game was canceled due to inclement weather.

"I guess it's both (an advantage and disadvantage) in a way," MacIntyre said after Monday's practice. "They haven't played a game yet, so I think that gives us a little bit of an advantage (having played).

"On the other side of it, we've never seen (the Cornhuskers' new coaching staff) play at Nebraska. Everything is from Central Florida."

CU's Jay MacIntyre, left, looks for room against CSU during the first half on Friday at Bronco Stadium at Mile High in Denver. (Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)

Nebraska's hiring of Scott Frost as head coach during the offseason re-energized a proud program. Frost, a native of Wood River, Neb., quarterbacked the Cornhuskers to their last national title in 1997. During the last two years, he's been the head coach at Central Florida, leading the Knights to a 13-0 record last season.

Frost takes over a Nebraska team that went 4-8 last season — its worst record since going 3-6-1 in 1961 — and brought his coaching staff from UCF.

"That's all we've watched is Central Florida film and (Nebraska's) spring game," MacIntyre said. "So, I was hoping to get a little film on them. They have a little film on us with different things we're doing. Overall, we'll go out there and play and it should be fine."

Advertisement

During a press conference Monday with Nebraska media, Frost said it could help both teams in that they are similar in what they do.

"Definitely some similarities on both sides of the ball," Frost said. "They do a lot of the same things defensively that our guys do; do a lot of the same things offensively that our guys do, so there's going to be some familiarity there. That's going to help as were trying to get everything installed and having guys understanding blocking schemes and the Xs and Os of everything."

Solid debut

Israel Antwine became the first true freshman in CU history to start the opening game at defensive line. After turning heads throughout preseason camp, Antwine was in on a couple of tackles, including one tackle for loss.

"I feel like I did well," he said. "I got my first TFL of my college career. I'm very excited and I still have a lot more work and a lot more progress to go."

The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder has already impressed coaches and teammates with his strength, which he said is due to working out at the gym with his dad since he was 12 years old. His hard work has only increased since coming to CU this summer.

"I've just been focused on learning the plays and the calls and focused on getting bigger, better and stronger every day," he said. "I get better and I look at film almost every day and I do about 500 push-ups a day, and I'm just really excited to get better and better and stronger."

Antwine said it was exciting to get his first college game under his belt, but he's eager for future games.

"Definitely the largest crowd I've ever seen and it was definitely an experience and I'm blessed to be here," he said. "I'm just very excited. I can't wait for what comes next."

Optimistic about Callier

Sophomore outside linebacker Jacob Callier missed the second half of Friday's game with what CU announced as a shoulder injury.

On Monday, MacIntyre said, "He's doing fine. He should be ready to go. He was out there moving around today. We'll see how everything progresses as the week goes along. It looks like he should be able to go play, but I won't know until later in the week."

Notable

After watching film of the CSU game, MacIntyre pointed out some substitution errors on special teams and that the defense could have done better with some rush lanes. But, he also thought the defense put good pressure on the quarterback and he was pleased with the offensive and defensive lines. ... MacIntyre also said he felt the receivers "blocked the best they've ever blocked since I've been here, and that allowed a lot of those big plays to happen." ... Nebraska had not had a game cancelled since 1943, but Frost and his staff have been through this before. Last year, his team at UCF had two games cancelled because of Hurricane Irma. In 2016, the Knights had to reschedule a game during the season because of Hurricane Matthew.

Billionaires, entertainers and athletes alike announced their intentions to pursue the Los Angeles Clippers with varying degrees of seriousness Wednesday, proving the longtime losers will be quite a prize if the NBA is able to wrest control of the team away from Donald Sterling after his lifetime ban for racist remarks. Full Story

Louie, who (like Louis) is a New York comic and a divorced father of two daughters, knows struggle and angst and cloudy wonderment. He views life through eyes with a stricken look, dwelling in a state of comfortable dread. Full Story